Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 40 1 a Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Condition on . Since the amounts are independent and identically distributed random variables and are independent of , their moment-generating functions multiply:Summing against the positive-support geometric distribution gives the geometric-sum moment-generating functionThe finite-transform domain is and . The terms are nonnegative for real , so if the latter condition fails the sum diverges. For both conditions always hold, since the claims are positive; thus the same calculation always provides the Laplace transform of a nonnegative random variable. Positivity alone does not guarantee a finite moment-generating function on a positive neighbourhood of zero.
There is at least one strictly positive amount in the portfolio. Hence ; zero carries no atom of a measure to add to the continuous laws in the next two parts.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 40 1 b Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
For the exponential distribution of mean , . Substitution into the geometric-sum moment-generating function givesThis is the moment-generating function of an exponential distribution with rate . By the uniqueness theorem for moment-generating functions, the geometric sum of exponential variables therefore has probability density functionIts expected value is , agreeing with in the random sum of independent claims formula.
Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge 2012 iii Paper 40 1 c Solution Created 2026-10-03 Updated 2026-10-07
Use the shape-rate convention for the gamma distribution. A shape and rate give expected value and variance . The two moments here force and . Thus , and the geometric-sum moment-generating function becomesPut , and . Then , , andConsequently the geometric sum of shape-two gamma variables has the same probability distribution as the sum of two independent exponential distributions with rates . Their convolution of independent random variables yieldsThe probability density function is zero for . It is nonnegative because , and its integral isThis verifies normalization directly. An alternative check uses the conditional gamma distribution with shape :which is exactly the same density. The expected value supplies a further check.